


Loving Him - Charles Smith x OC

by Professional_Nerd



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:42:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25265548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Professional_Nerd/pseuds/Professional_Nerd
Summary: A universe where the Van der Linde Gang feels the peace and prosperity that they deserve. No major character death or illness. Contains some mild spoilers for chapter 1, 2, and 3.
Relationships: Charles Smith (Red Dead Redemption)/Original Female Character(s), John Marston/Arthur Morgan
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	1. Hunting Together

“Why’d you send those two? I love them both, but neither of them can hunt.” Reina shook her head at the thought of Bill and Lenny trying to brave the mountain terrain in search of game. Lenny was a smart kid, but he was more into books than hunting. Bill was a fool. Did either of them even know how to skin a buck?

“You’ve barely slept in days.” Pearson put his bottle down and crossed his arms. “You and the others have been worked to the bone the past few days.”

“I won’t deny that, but we’ve gotta eat.” Reina shivered, the cold seeming to blow straight through her empty stomach.

“Enough of this.” A husky voice from behind startled her. She cursed the winter wind for masking sound so easily. The voice belonged to Charles Smith, the quiet but hardworking man who had recently joined up with the gang.

“Charles.” Pearson nodded in greeting. The best Reina could muster was a polite look of acknowledgement. The two of them had never spoken. In fact, Reina was fairly certain that Charles didn’t even know her name.

“Will you hunt with me?” He asked her, seeming resolute. If not resolute, then perhaps outright cross.

“Alright.” She blinked, slightly surprised at his proposition.

Pearson offered them a can of salted offal which Reina made a note to sell when they reached a town. It was nearly inedible by itself. Starving would be preferable.

The two of them made their way to the hitching station. Then, her eyes flickered towards his bandaged hand. She knew that he’d injured it in Blackwater, though it was unclear how.

“Here, take this.” Charles offered her his bow. She took it hesitantly.

“I should warn you, I’ve never even held one of these before. I might be terrible.”

“You’re good with a gun, right? It’s not all that different.”

Sure. Not like people spent their entire lives mastering the craft or anything.

Reina tensed. What if she made a fool of herself? What if they trudged back to camp with nothing but a few lost arrows to show for it. Maybe she was the gang’s best shot with a rifle, but this was something new entirely. Would she even be able to draw the string all the way by herself?

She shook away the thought. Why was she losing her head over this? It was just hunting. Something she had done a thousand times before. Something about Charles made her think twice about herself.

The ride up into the mountains was a beautiful change from the general mood of irritability within the camp. The silence of winter had taken over the entire mountain side. The only sounds that penetrated the air were the rustling of branches and the blowing of ice crystals in the breeze.

It took less than a few minutes for Charles to pick up the trail of a herd of mountain deer. She followed him on horseback, counting the spots on Tiama’s back as they rode.

“She’s a beautiful horse.” Reina called. Charles slowed up, bringing Tiama to a trot beside her.

“She works hard for me.” He gave his horse a pat on the neck. “It’s not every day you see a horse like that.” He gestured to Bullet, Reina’s arabian.

It was true, the reddish hue of his coat was in stark contrast to his white brindle markings. He was a beautiful horse but, more importantly, he was Reina’s most loyal companion.

“I found him in the mountains.” She said with a touch of pride. “He was as wild as a hurricane but for some reason he trusted me.”

Charles hummed in response, taking in her words and mulling them over like a riddle.

“What did you name him?”

“Bullet.” She replied, turning a smile when Charles actually let out a laugh.

“The sharpshooter and her horse named Bullet.” He stated. “Quite fitting.”

The snow on the mountains was deep. Following Charles on foot was much more difficult than following on horseback. She felt rather silly as she stretched to walk in his footprints. It took the man less than an hour to come upon a whole herd of whitetail deer. By the time they found them, Reina’s legs were on fire.

“Let’s stop here.” Reina huffed, crouching behind a group of evergreens. The trunks would keep them well-hidden. They were even downwind. All it came down to was hitting the target. Charles didn’t protest, but gained a certain tension in his jaw as he watched her nock an arrow and take aim.

“Take all the time you need to line up your shot.” He said gently, eyes fixed on the rather fat looking buck munching on the grass. Reina knew what he meant. She only had one chance. If she didn’t hit one and the herd ran, they’d be trudging back to camp empty handed. All of their efforts came down to this one singular shot.

She could feel Charles’ eyes on her, but she couldn’t give in to the pressure. Instead, she stuck a loose arrow between her teeth and drew back the string with a long exhale.

In the span of about two seconds, several things happened at once. Reina fired her arrow and the fat buck collapsed. She grabbed the arrow from her mouth and drew again. A second after she fired, the sound of a deer crying out briefly confirmed that she had hit her second target as well.

“That should do it.” She took in a deep breath and straightened up from her crouch. She trampled through the snow in the direction of her fire, eager to see how clean her hits were. Charles followed along, eyes squinting against the sun.

“Hitting one at that distance would’ve been impressive yet somehow you managed to get two.”

“It’s nothing special.” She approached the fat buck and noted the awkward curvature of her arrow stuck in it’s skull. “My shots weren’t the cleanest. I just wanted to make sure we didn’t go home empty handed.”

“Let me get this one on my horse.” He got down on one knee and worked his hand under the great mass of an animal.

“Are you sure? It looks like your hand is bleeding again.” She said gently. It was his turn to drop his gaze and feel vulnerable.

“I’ll be fine once I get it on my shoulder.” He reassured, tucking his wound out of her line of sight.

“Then let me help you until then.” She dug her knees into the snow and lifted the buck with all her strength. She wasn’t weak, but these things were heavy. A small doe could weigh a hundred pounds. A full grown buck weighed as much as a person. Even so, Charles carried it as easily as he would a kitten.

The second deer, a doe, was even easier. When the time came for Charles to lift it on to his shoulder the two of them accomplished it with ease. After it was securely stowed, he turned to mount up for the trek back to camp.

“Hold on.” Reina called to him. She dug through her saddle bag for a particular jar of herbs.

“Something wrong?”

“No. Just have something I wanted to do before we head back.”

“What would that be?”

“Follow me to the stream, would you? I think I can do something to help that hand of yours.”

“I really am fine.” He continued to reassure her, but the air of caution wasn’t strong enough to keep him from following her to the edge of the water.

“Let me see?” She asked, extending her hand. He hesitated a moment, but made the decision to trust her.

He let her take his hand in hers and gently dip in the stream. The cold was shocking at first, but the relief on his face that followed was telling of the water's soothing properties. Slowly and methodically, Reina unwrapped his bandage. Not only did the water help with the pain, it also softened the cotton enough for her to remove it without causing him pain.

The wound underneath was shocking. What Charles passed off as fine was an angry burn winding its way up his arm to just below his elbow. The skin had been singed clean off exposing a painful amount of exposed flesh.

A part of her wanted to scold him for keeping such a bad wound hidden, but she decided to keep her face stern. Showing him her worry would only put him off. After all, he had already made the decision to trust her.

Reina got to work peeling apart the plants from her saddle bag and carefully applying the juice to his burn. When she was finished, she wrapped it clean cotton and tied the bandage with a neat knot.

“That should make it heal much faster. It’ll help with the pain too.” She rinsed her hands in the stream and quickly dried them on her trousers. When she looked up, she realized the intense stare that Charles had fixed on her. She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry if it hurt. I just found the plants a few days ago and thought they might help you…” It was instinct to keep babbling on yet she didn’t have anything else of value to say.

“Thank you.” Charles said with the sincerity of a promise. The words were short and fleeting, but they conveyed the weight of his gratitude.

“You’re welcome.” She gave him a shy smile before standing up. “We should probably get back before the entire camp starves to death.”

“I think they’ll live.” He joined her in calling their horses. “Why don’t we catch the sunset over the glacier before heading back?”

“That sounds perfect.”


	2. Hosea Tells Her Story

“Quite a story it was.” Hosea murmured as he sat back in seat, the heat of the campfire warming his tired legs.

“Tell it again, old man.” Sean said, giving him a good-natured slap on the shoulder before joining him by the fire. Several other members of the gang followed suit, excited for a chance to hear another one of Hosea’s famous campfire tales.

“Fine, but no interruptions this time.” He gave Sean a hard look but couldn’t help but flash him a good-natured smile as well.

“I wouldn’t dream of hearin’ it any other way.”

“Hosea cleared his throat. He paused a moment as everyone got comfortably situated around the fire. The youngest of the group were eagerly sat near the front. Dutch didn’t bother mingling in with the crowd, but he leant an ear from his seat by his tent. He was secretive about it, of course, only pretending to read his densely worded novel. Even Mr. Pearson and Miss Grimshaw paused their work for one of Hosea’s stories. It was quite the occasion for all of them.

“I know some of you have already heard this one, but I think it’s an important tale to tell. It goes to show us that we carve our own destiny. Even a bunch of no-good degenerates like us.” A dull chuckle enveloped the crowd.

One man was particularly interested in the tale Hosea was about to share. It had been less than a year since Charles Smith joined up with the gang. He kept himself busy with work and was away from camp more often than not. He had only been around for a handful of Hosea’s legendary campfire tales, but found himself enjoying each and every one. The man certainly had a gift for storytelling.

There was an overwhelming sense of community that emerged when everyone gathered around a single campfire. They were a rag-tag group, but they grew to feel as though they were a family at moments such as this. Cousins, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and perhaps even friends. It had been a very long time since Charles felt at home. He took the opportunity to light himself a cigarette and keep his ever-working hands away from arrows for a few moments.

This particular story was about the woman they called Reina Tuesday. Charles gathered that she had been a part of the gang for many years, but found himself unusually curious about her after their ride into the Colter Mountains. She was well liked amongst the gang despite her quiet and unassuming demeanour. It seemed that nobody had a bad thing to say about her.

Even so, she wasn’t around camp as much as the other women. Much like Sadie Adler, Miss Grimshaw seemed to give her a pass as far as doing typical “women’s” chores. Instead, she made herself useful doing work for the gang. Reina never failed to bring back large sums of money when she returned from her journeys. Sometimes, nobody would see her for days at a time, but she’d always return eventually. Most of the time, she’d come back with meat and a couple of pelts to donate as well.

Charles had heard stories of how she was supposedly a legendary shot with a rifle. John and Arthur liked to brag about it when they could. Even Hosea wasn’t shy about sharing that he was the one who taught her how to use a pistol. All of that talk yet the only chance he ever had to see in her in action was when the two of them had hunted together. She was such a quick shot, he would’ve missed it if he had blinked.

Charles couldn’t help but be curious about her. He knew he felt a certain stirring in himself when she returned from her expeditions. He wanted to talk with her. To ask her what kind of person she wanted to be. All these strange feelings swirled around in his chest, yet he never could find the right moment to speak with her.

She had offered him several warm smiles and a few gentle greetings. Each time, he returned the gesture to the best of his abilities but found himself rather stoic in his ways. He wasn’t handsome, or charming, or even particularly interesting. Why then, did she want to keep his company?

Now Hosea was about to tell the story of how she joined up with the Van Der Linde Gang. Charles was one of the few who hadn’t heard the story before. He found himself exceptionally curious to hear it from the very person who recruited her.

“It happened back in the early days.” Hosea started, scratching his chin while his brows knit together in thought.

“Early as Arthur and John?” Karen was the one who interrupted first. She was rewarded with a handful of frustrated glares, but Hosea remained patient with her.

“No, not quite that early. It was a few years after we picked up John. Still, we were young men then. She was just a child.

It was in Blackwater, if I remember correctly. Arthur and I were walking through the city late at night when we ran into her- literally.

Anyone who knows anything about Blackwater knows that you don’t let a young lady go walking around by herself after dark. There’s plenty of drunken fellers’ up to no good.”

“We were some of them fellers’.” Arthur added.

“Yes, but it was Arthur who should’ve been more cautious. We were walking home after a night at the bar. The street was busy, so we didn’t think much of it when a fella’ hidden beneath a duster coat bumped into us. I guess we figured it was just another drunken lad on his way home. I didn’t think much of it at first. It took Arthur another block to realize that his entire satchel was cut from its strap.” An eruption of giggles and laughs emerged from the gang. Bill’s was by far the most piercing. It was just after dinner, but he was already deep into the bottle.

“So, Arthur starts hollering and sprinting down the street. Meanwhile, I’m just tryin’ to keep him from waking the entire town up on the way. We chased the figure into some dead-end alley, but to our surprise, when we turned the corner,” Hosea paused, relishing the transfixed gases that surrounded him. “There wasn’t a soul to be seen.”

“Nobody can walk through solid walls.” Micah hollered from his spot by the table. His feet were kicked up as he played with his knife. “That’s horse-shit.”

Hosea sighed, annoyed that the suspense he as so carefully created was ruined.

“She didn’t need to walk through walls. She was up on the fire escape. By the time we go there, she had a rife aimed straight at my chest.” Several of the girls cheered in excitement.

“See fellas?” Tilly clasped her hands together. “Two of the best men in the gang were outsmarted by a lady.”

“Course’, we didn’t know she was a she at the time.” Arthur spoke up, trying not to mutter.

“Yes, her disguise was very well crafted.” Hosea nodded, thinking back. “She really had us fooled. The big hat and bandana covered her face. She even wore gloves to conceal her hands. I took a chance when I called her out. Honestly, I wasn’t even certain. It was just had a hunch.”

“There wasn’t much else we coulda’ done seeing as she had us at gunpoint.” Arthur chuckled. “Hosea started workin’ his magic. Convinced her to return my satchel.”

“She really gave it back? Just like that?” Karen snorted. “I definitely wouldn’t have been that nice.”

“It took some convincing, of course. I mentioned how Arthur kept important things in there. Items that would only be of value to him like letters and photographs. She didn’t argue or ever speak a word to us, just cleaned out most of the cash and tossed it in our direction. That’s when I knew that I wanted her to be one of us.

I thanked her for her obvious generosity and invited her out for one more drink. I also mentioned how a young lady such as herself might want to be careful of all the thugs running around that time of night. Honestly, I was surprised she agreed.

I wish y’all could see the look on Arthur’s face when she removed that bandana. He must’ve been expecting some six-foot thug.” Hosea snickered. “Imagine his surprise when he found that he had been robbed by a little girl no older than fourteen!” The rest of his audience shared a laugh with him. When it died down, Hosea continued.

“You can see why we wanted her. Not many folks can say that they’ve successfully robbed a member of the Van Der Linde gang. Even fewer have ever actually returned something they stole. I knew she was a good sort right then and there.

Dutch nearly fell over laughing when we brought her back to camp. Didn’t believe that we’d been outsmarted like that.” He shook his head. “She’s always been good to us, though. I’m the one who taught her to shoot, but she surpassed my skills years ago.” Arthur nodded in agreement. “She’s the best shot we’ve got now. Better than a military man or any one of those western gunslingers we’ve heard about.”

“Dead-Eye-Tuesday.” Bill jested.

“She’s right up there with old Dead-Eye-Macguire!” Sean grinned, raising his bottle.

“Yeah, but she can actually shoot.” Karen snickered, shooting Sean a playful smirk.

“You’re breakin’ my heart.” He retorted, clutching a hand to his chest in mock-pain.

“Well, that goes to show you what kind of mettle she’s got. Like most of us, that girl was dealt an undeniably bad hand in life. That isn’t my story to tell, but what she’s done with herself since… I couldn’t be more proud of her.”

“Cheers to that!” Uncle exclaimed, taking a deep swig from his bottle.

“You know,” Arthur turned to speak directly to Hosea. “She’ll be mortified if she finds out you told that story again.”

“Why do you think I waited ‘til she was out hunting?” He chuckled. “It would do her some good to take some credit now and then. She’s a nice girl and she deserves it.”

“Alright, everyone!” Miss Grimshaw addressed the lot of them but spoke to her girls in particular. “That’s enough layin’ around. There’s still time to get some work done before the day is done.” A collective groan came from the girls, but they got to their feet at once.

Charles stepped back and let the crowd disperse. He took one last drag of his cigarette and ground it into the dirt under his boot. If anything, the story had given him even more questions. He’d have to take a chance and ask her for himself. Maybe she’d run away from him. Maybe she’d never speak to him again. Still, the chance that she would stay with him made the chance work talking.


	3. Confession

Reina wasn’t much of a drinker - at least not quite as much as Swanson or Uncle - but something about Sadie Adler’s competitive jesting and Javier’s ever so sly encouragement made her feel like letting loose for a night.

It was to be a celebratory night and the entire camp seemed to be in good spirits. Hosea had won a high-steaks game of poker and brought back enough crates of booze to keep the camp swimming in liquor until the sun came up. Dutch, deciding that everyone needed an evening to enjoy themselves, had given the gang permission to end work early and enjoy the clear, starry night.

Reina was watching the sparks fly to the heavens from the campfire. Charles was seated just across from her, leaning forward as he adjusted the logs with a stick. He was always so willing to work for the wellbeing of others.

“Someone needs to do it.” He muttered.

“What?” She asked, her face feeling a bit numb as she raised an eyebrow.

“You said I’m always working.”

“Did I?” If not for the immediate heat of the fire, she surely would’ve felt a wave of warm embarrassment flood her cheeks. “I don’t think I meant to say that out loud. I’m drunker than I thought.”

His dark eyes flickered up to her, illuminated by the light of the amber flames. A smile cracked at the side of his mouth as he studied her. It wasn’t in her nature to be clumsy. The always guarded and mysterious woman was turning into a bashful one after a few too many drinks.

She sat with her back against the tree, legs crossed casually. Charles couldn’t help but wonder if she looked at other men like that. With her head tilted to the side, a goofy grin on her face. Something about that made him tense. The thought of her staring at Micha with such a look in her eyes made him grind his teeth and sit back in his seat.

“I’m sorry.” She blurted suddenly.

“Why?” He queried. It came out much harsher than he had intended. Her eyes drooped and he nearly melted. “I mean, what could you have possibly done to offend me?”

“I thought I might’ve said something.” She shifted her position, crossing her legs so she could lean forward and rest her face in her hands. “You’ve never looked at me that way before.”

“You worry about the way I look at you?” He bit his lip and stifled a laugh.

“Of course I do! You’re important to me.” She picked up her bottle but didn’t take a drink.

“You shouldn’t worry about me.” He shook his head, his gaze returning to the flames. Her eyes drooped again but, this time, she made a face at him.

“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice, Mr. Smith.”

“You can call me Charles. You of all people have the right to use my first name.”

“Charles,” She pronounced each character with care then looked to him sheepishly. “Sorry, I just wanted to try your name out.”

“Don’t worry about stuff like that around me.” Charles didn’t notice the way he lowered his voice, but Reina did. His low vibration and gentle candace made her thoughts turn indecent. Quickly, she tore her mind away, worried she might let her tongue loose again.

“What do you mean?” She asked carefully.

“I know you like to keep yourself guarded.” He hesitated, unsure of whether or not he should continue. Perhaps the liquor was getting to him as well. “You don’t have to do that when I’m around. You’re safe with me.”

“It’s happening again.” Reina put her bottle down and ran a hand through her hair, taking a fist-full in her hand and giving it a gentle yet exasperated tug.

It was Charles’ turn to raise an eyebrow. What could he possibly have said to cause such a reaction? His inquisitive expression was enough. Reina took one more sip of her liquid courage and found her resolve. Tonight would be the night she would tell him the truth.

“I think I’m falling in love with you.” Her heart skipped a beat as the words left her lips. She studied his face closely. He didn’t tear away in disgust, but she could see that there was still something tugging at his mind.

“You’re definitely drunk.” He smiled, but she could tell that it wasn’t genuine.

“That wasn’t an accident.” She whispered as she got to her feet. “I do love you, Charles.”

Slowly and methodically she walked over to his side of the campfire, cursing herself for not wearing something nicer than her plain riding trousers and button up shirt.

“Don’t say stuff like that.” He didn’t stand, but turned to face her. “You’re not supposed to love someone like me.”

“How could I not love you?” Her expression was gentle, but she still didn’t understand. Charles felt an ache growing in his chest.

Despite his reservations, he found himself reaching out to brush a loose strand of chestnut hair out of her eyes. The tender skin of her cheek was warm from the drink and perhaps something more. She didn’t pull away from his touch. Instead, she laced her fingers with his and placed a kiss on his palm. 

This wasn’t the first time a woman had reached for him. There were plenty of times a harlet or two had thrown themselves in his direction. This was, however, the first time anyone had given him affection so tender and innocent.

Then, he gave in. Without reservation, he found himself pulling her close while she wrapped her arms around his neck. As the distance between them closed, Reina felt the heat of their flushed skin coming together spread from her lips into her abdomen.

His skilled hand rested on her jaw while the other pulled her onto his lap with ease. She straddled his hips, their kiss growing more intimate as they pressed into one another. Reina felt as though she couldn’t possibly be close enough to him. She’d have to settle with pressing her chest into his while tangling her fingers into his hair. Eventually, the two broke apart for a much-needed breath.

“Kiss me again.” She breathed, her hot breath mingling with his. The side of her nose brushed his, her lips burning lips begging to be touched by him again.

Charles ran his lips over her cheek, planting small kisses as he moved down her neck. Her grip on his shoulders tightened and relaxed as she folded further into him.

“Charles,” She practically begged. She had to strain to keep herself from grinding further into his belt.

“I know.” He growled, obviously fighting something inside of himself. “I want you, Reina… Just not like this. You might change your mind when you’re sober.”

“I won’t.” She protested, but Charles was resolute. He didn’t want to put her in a position of regret. What if she changed her mind? She was so drunk, she might not even look at him when the sun came up. If it was to be a singular sweet memory, Charles wouldn’t taint it with regret.

He got to his feet, lifting her into his arms in the process. She squeezed her legs together against him, though, she knew he could hold her with ease. After all, she’d watched him throw a grizzly pelt over his shoulder like it was nothing.

“My tent.” She whispered, but he was already on his way there. She lifted a hand to shield his face from the canvas door as they slipped into the dimly lit room. He placed her down on her cot, wanting desperately to fall into place right on top of her.

“Sleep now, my sweet.” He whispered to her, placing one last kiss on her forehead. She let her hand brush the side of his face as he restracted. “If you still love me in the morning, I’ll be here for you.”


	4. The Morning After

Never had she ever had dreams quite so sweet. The alcohol in her system let her sleep like a rock, despite Uncle’s incessant snoring and Pearson’s early morning ramblings about his time in the Navy. Mrs. Grimshaw was even nice enough to keep her morning instruction to a low volume, possibly due to a hangover of her own.

It was well into the day when Reina awoke. Something about that particular morning made her feel good, in spite of her dry mouth and headache. A nice cup of not-too-burnt coffee would fix that in no time.

“Mornin’,” She sang, waltzing by the provisions wagon to find herself a mug.

“You’re in a chipper mood.” John grumbled. Somehow, it was doubtful that he was awake of his own accord.

“I ain’t surprised.” Abigail mused, pouring herself a cup of coffee. Reina didn’t quite get it, but returned her warm smile as best as she could.

“I’m going to find us some food today. Any requests?”

“How about some ‘gator?” John perked up a bit at the thought. Reina grimaced.

“You actually like eating that stuff? I only bring it back when I can’t find anything more palatable.”

“Nobody in their right mind likes ‘gator.” Abigail laughed to herself. “But I guess you ain’t in your right mind, are you?” She looked to John who shot her a sour face. Satisfied with herself, she gave him a good-natured bump on the shoulder and headed for her tent.

“How about I start with some wild carrot and potato? Maybe I’ll bag some rabbit or wild turkey along the way.”

“That sounds good too.” John smirked. “Jack loves that wild rosemary you find.”

And with that, Reina grabbed her basket and varmint rifle and headed down the winding path into the woods.

Something she detested about the swamps was the perpetual dampness in the air. There was always the threat of muddy water seeping into her boots. Worse yet, the flies never seemed to listen to her pleas to be left alone.

She was lucky to find a patch of high ground that was sparsely populated with a handful of huckleberry bushes. She got to work wrestling the succulent berries from their branches. Somehow, she managed to cover the bottom of her basket before long, despite taking a few breaks to toss a berry into her mouth.

“Not much beats a berry fresh off the bush.” Charles’ voice startled her away from her thoughts. She was about to ask him how he found her so far from camp, but the answer was obvious.

“I’ve never met a better tracker.” She mused, offering the contents of her basket to him. He took a small handful and gave her a grateful smile.

“I wanted to see how you were doing.”

“A little tired after last night, but I slept like a dream.” She took a deep breath and stretched her arms out wide. “I haven’t been blackout drunk in a while. I hope I didn’t embarrass myself too badly this time.” She brought a hand to her cheek, shying away from the thought.

She could’ve sworn she saw a flicker of hurt in his eyes, but he masked it well. He seemed to search for words, finding himself unable to find the right ones. Ever so stoic, he seemed to give up on the thought.

“Hey, what’s on your mind?” She asked gently. “You can talk to me if you want. I’ll always have time to listen to you.” She sped through the latter half. She didn’t want him feeling uncomfortable by her closeness.

She certainly wasn’t put off by his closeness.

“Tell me…” His voice lowered. As he paused, a gust of wind rustled the grass. “What do you remember of last night?”

“I remember the celebration. I drank with Sadie and Javier by the fire. You were there too.” She paused, finally catching a morsel of truth. She looked deeply into his eyes, unable to read what was behind them. He seemed to be reading her just fine.

“I told you how I feel about you.” She breathed, suddenly feeling vulnerable.

“I won’t hold you to anything you said. You weren’t in your right mind-” He stopped short when she took a brave step closer to him.

“The drink may have given me the courage to confess, but my feelings are true.”

“I can’t give you a good life, Reina. We’ll be met with challenges every step of the way.”

“We’ll manage. I can work, and fight, and earn money too.” She was so incredibly innocent and good. She didn’t even see what he was referring to.

“That’s not what I mean.” He took her hand in his, and she nearly melted into the warmth of his skin. She fixed her eyes on the way their hands intertwined. Her hand fit so perfectly in the curve of his palm.

“I don’t understand… What’s wrong?” She turned her gaze up to meet him and then let it fall back to their intertwined hands.

“There are people in this country who won’t accept us together. They already treat my people badly, Reina. I can’t bring you into that world.”

“Oh,”

The way in which her face fell made Charles feel things. He wanted to console her. To wrap her up in his arms and tell her that things would be all right in the end. He couldn’t do that, though. She wasn’t his to love.

It became all too obvious how her hand contrasted with his. Her skin was a cool ivory against his warmth. They were as different as snow and fire. Stone and wood. Yet closer than where the water met the earth.

“I don’t care about any of that.” She explained, suddenly feeling quite resolute. “Let them come for us. Their hatred is unfounded and wrong.”

“Maybe so, but they would make trouble for us at every corner. Things would never be easy with me.”

“Nothing in my life has ever been easy, Charles. I’ve had to fight for every meal. To learn how to read. Even for my own place to sleep at night.”

“But you shouldn’t have to. You deserve to be with someone who can give you the life you want.”

His thoughts drifted to each member of the gang. Arthur was his greatest hope. He wasn't perfect, but he wasn’t as bad as he made himself out to be. The two of them grew up together. In many ways, they were similar.

If not, maybe Sean could give her a good life if he put in the effort. The two of them were close in age, after all. Surely he’d clean up his act if he had a woman in his life.

Bill was as dumb as a doorknob, but maybe he could be kind if he put his mind to it. Surely even he would be softened by her kindness.

Inevitably, he thought of Michah. His rough hands clawing at her flesh as though she was some cheap hooker. The way he looked at her as though she was something to eat rather than a person. It disturbed him to his core. He didn’t deserve her, but if she wanted him then who was he to stop her? At least he could buy her a plot of land without trouble. Marry her in a proper cathedral with the blessing of a priest. Anything she could ever want, he could get for her.

“What I want is a life with you.” She watched his brow soften as she continued. ”I was born into chaos. I live in danger almost every day. When my day of destiny comes, I want to die knowing that I lived every day without fear.”

She was indeed fearless, Charles thought to himself. This woman could stare down the length of a gun and smile. It didn’t matter which end.

“It won’t be easy.”

“To hell with easy.”

“It could be dangerous.”

“I’m not afraid of danger.

“I won’t ever hold you back. You’re always free to go if you need to.”

“I won’t.”

There was a pause while he fixed his eyes on hers. She smirked, and he sighed.

“Alright then. You and me.” He opened his arms in defeat just in time for her to place herself into them.

“My heart is yours, Charles Smith. In this life and the next.”

He never saw her beam as brightly as she did that day. Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree at the mere sight of him. He wasn’t taken by surprise when she fell deeper into his arms. It was a sweet, tender moment. A rare thing in times such as those. He rested his chin on top of her head and planted a kiss in her hair. She smelled of pine. It was comforting.

“I’ll take care of you.”

“I know. I’ll take care of you too.”


	5. Working Together

How sweet it was to be in love.

Reina didn’t think such sentimental things would have such an effect on her. In fact, changes to her daily life were fairly minute all things considered.

Charles was always a gentleman. He didn’t care for public affection. Such things were meant for her eyes only. Instead, his courtship took the form of simple actions done with love. A cup of coffee in the morning. A knowing smile from across camp that was meant just for her.

One thing that always made her melt was when she found small gifts he’d left by her tent. They were just little things, but they always meant something special. A seashell. Some herbs. A bit of quartz. Reina’s absolute favorite was the ornate wood carvings he did for her. The way his hands worked such beautiful patterns into wood was exquisite. The same hands that could beat an O’Driscoll brawler to a pulp could carve sense into stone and make scraps of wood into works of art.

Reina didn’t consider herself to be a vain woman, yet she loved nothing more than adding a new carved bead to her bracelet. The caricatures of all her favorite animals adorned a bit of cord tied around her wrist. A doe. A rabbit. A loon. The variations in color of the wood were what made it especially unique. Every long trip he’d take for Dutch meant a new type of wood for Reina’s bracelet. He picked up a bit of cherrywood in New Hanover. Bublinga in the south. Birch and even more stunning ebony from the north forests. He sure knew how to make a lady feel loved.

Charles knew that Reina put most of her earnings into the camp’s collection box. When the two of them ventured into town for supplies, it seemed unjust that she couldn’t afford more for herself.

The shopkeeper in Clemon’s Point was an unpleasant man. He didn’t take kindly to a mixed race man coming into his shop. He liked selling to a woman even less. Charles and Reina weren’t particularly touchy in public, but they decided to hide their affections especially well in Lamoyne. It was more than the nuisance it was in Valentine. Here, it was down right dangerous.

When Reina tried to barter for supplies, she was shot down. Even buying at full price was tough. All the poor girl wanted was some canned strawberries and bread but it was like pulling teeth.

When the shopkeeper started making sexist comments, that was the end of it. She left her pile of groceries on the counter and stormed out to Charles who was waiting by the horses.

“He was that bad?” He asked, reading her face. Reina swung her leg over Bullet and took off at a brisk trot. Charles followed suit, pushing up to ride beside her.

“That man is a pig!” She exclaimed. “He’s lucky Dutch told us not to cause trouble in Rhodes. I’d like to show him where he can stick those damn strawberries.”

“I’ve got an idea.” Charles pulled his horse closer to hers. “It’s Sunday, right? I bet he’s expecting a supply wagon sometime today to stock up for next week.”

“A wagon filled with supplies just riding through the countryside, completely unguarded.”

“If we hit it outside of Rhodes we should be fine.”

“I like the way you think.” She grinned. “Let’s do some shopping… The gang way.”

Figuring out the timing of the wagon was simple enough. All it took was a small investment in one of the farm hands for the information. They’d have about a half hour to hit the wagon while it came from Saint Denis through the swamps. If they were careful, they’d be able to steal it without issue.

The two of them spent the afternoon smoking and relaxing in the shade. Each wagon that passed gave Reina a jolt of excitement. There was nothing like the time before a robbery. The buildup of excitement and contrasting need for patience was excruciatingly sweet. The thought of the take that they’d get was even sweeter.

Eventually the right wagon came riding through the deserted woods. Reina pulled her bandana over her face and strolled out to the middle of the road. Charles was covering her from one of the trees.

“Slow up, boys.” She called to the delivery crew as she aimed her revolver towards them. “I want your wagon, not your lives. Get out now and you can walk away.”

“What’s this supposed to be?” The man in the passenger seat spat. The man riding in the back of the cart turned to face her.

“You’re getting robbed. Now, get out of the cart. I won’t ask again.” She raised an eyebrow. “Do you really want to argue with a lady holding a gun?”

“You better put that down, lady.” The shotgunner took aim. “You shouldn’t play with guns unless you’re willing to shoot-” He was cut off by the crack of a gun. Reina had shot his trigger finger clean off.

“Do I look like I’m playing around?”

“Why you little bitch!” The man in the back pulled a pistol and readied to shoot when Charles blasted him in the arm with his shotgun.

The shot may have saved her life. The man screamed and dove off the wagon towards the horses, spooking them in the process. They took off, bolting down the road towards the open highway.

“We better run!” Reina called as she jumped on her horse and took off after them. Charles jumped down from his spot in the tree and followed on Taima.

The shotgunner fired a few shots in their general direction but shooting with his opposite hand proved too difficult.

“I ain’t dying for this!” The driver took a dive off the side of the wagon and rolled towards the grass. He was followed suit by the fingerless shotgunner who took a less graceful landing in the ditch. They might have been wounded, but they weren’t dead.

Reina rode bullet at a full sprint beside the wagon, readying herself to jump. She planted her boot firmly on her saddle and took the dive. The hem of her shirt was torn by the wheel, but she had been mostly unharmed. The wagon bounded through traffic at high speed as she climbed her way to the driver seat. With one heavy tug, she pulled up on the reins and pulled the cart to a rough stop.

With a jolt, she leaned back in her seat and sighed a great sigh of relief. Charles caught up to her in a moment.

“Nicely done.” He praised, dismounting Tiama and taking a seat beside her on the wagon.

“Can you drive? I think I’ve had enough of chuck wagons for a while.” She laughed, tossing him the reins. “And… Thanks for covering me back there. You saved my life.”

“Always.” He reassured her.


	6. Asking Dutch and Hosea for their Blessing

“What was it you wanted to talk to us about?” Dutch crossed his arms, tossing a glance to Hosea, who seemed completely at ease with the whole situation. It wasn’t every day that Charles Smith asked to speak to them in private.

“Are you alright, son?” Hosea quearied. “If you’re in some kind of trouble, we’ll help you out.”

“It’s nothing like that.” Charles hesitated. He was stoic as always, but Hosea got the sense that he was nervous. “You’re aware that Reina and I are together.” He stated, keeping his gaze steady.

“Oh yes, we’re aware.” Dutch’s voice was gruff, but Charles was unaffected.

“I know she’s like a daughter to you. That’s why I wanted to ask for your blessing. I want to ask Reina to marry me.”

The words were finally out. It seemed so right to materialize the thought.

“Well I’ll be damned…” Hosea whispered. “It seems like our little girl has finally grown up.”

Dutch seemed completely shell-shocked. A smirk played at Hosea’s lips as he watched panic flood the space behind his eyes.

“You’re a fine young man,” Hosea gave him a warm pat on the shoulder. “Speaking for myself, I already consider you a member of the family.”

“Thank you. That means a lot to me.” He looked to Dutch who had only just started to compose himself.

“She’s her own person. You don’t need our permission.” His jaw clenched.

“I understand, but your blessing would mean a great deal to me. A great deal to us.” He added, beginning to understand Dutch’s reservation. “I can assure you, not much is going to change. We’re not leaving the gang. I just want to make my intentions clear.”

“That’s very noble of you, Charles. You’ll have to excuse Dutch here. I think he’s been caught a little off guard.” Dutch shot him a dirty look but Hosea only chuckled. “This is a big step for us. We’ve had her since she was a little girl. Feels like I found her only yesterday.”

“You can marry her, son.” Dutch spoke up, now wearing an air of toughness as armor. “I know you’ll look after our girl.”

“You don’t need to threaten him. Like I said, Charles is a good man.” Despite his well-meaning demeanor, Hosea still gave off a vaguely threatening impression. “He knows he’d have an entire gang of outlaws at his throat. Some of the most skilled killers in the west.”

“It won’t ever come to that.” Charles assured.

“Of course, son. We know that.” Dutch gave him a good-natured slap on the shoulder. “We’ll be watching out for you both.”


	7. Asking John and Arthur for their Blessing

“You got somethin’ on your mind?” Arthur asked, taking a long sip from his beer bottle. He studied Charles’ face, watching his friend’s brow furrow as John joined the two of them by the campfire.

“I have something I want to ask the two of you.”

“Ask away.” John took a seat on one of the pelts by the fire.

“I've already asked Dutch and Hosea, but you’re an important part of her life too. With your blessing, I’d like to ask Reina to marry me.”

Arthur and Charles were both equally dumbfounded. It wasn’t that the news was surprising. They were aware that the two of them were sweet on one another. It was just that their sister was finally growing up.

“Who knew.” Arthur whispered. “Our little hellfire will become a new bride.”

“”Are the two of you leaving then?” John sat up straighter. He wasn’t upset, just solemn.

“No, we’re sticking with the gang.”

“Why would you bother getting married then?” He shrugged. “Just seems like a lot of effort for nothing to change.”

“It means something to me. I want Reina to be more than just the girl I love. I want her to be my wife.” Charles paused. There was more to it than that. “And if anything ever happens to me, I want her to be taken care of.”

“You two really love each other.” Arthur took another sip of his beer. “You’re already family to me, Charles. I’d be glad to call you my brother.”

“Me too.” John grumbled. “...and thanks for askin’ for our blessing. That means a lot.” Arthur hummed in agreement.

For a second, life was good. There was nothing but the taste of beer on their lips and the crackling of the fire lighting up the night. Then, Michah Bell ruined everything.

“Did I hear you right? You’re lettin’ Reina marry the redskin?”

“Mind your business. Reina can marry who she damn well wants.” Arthur was quick to shut it down, but Micah wouldn’t quit so easily.

“Come on, it just ain’t natural. You need to keep that girl on a tighter leash.”

“A leash? Are you serious?” Charles was gobsmacked.

“Watch your mouth, Micah.” John hissed. “We don’t talk like that here.”

“Alright, I don’t mean no harm. I’m just tryin’ to save y’all some time.” He put his hands up in mock-surrender. “It won’t be long before a real man comes along to show her what a good time is.”

“Quit talkin’ outta your ass.” Arthur waved him away. “You ain’t gonna’ do shit.”

“Maybe I won’t but someone will. I know her little spot by the river. Where she thinks nobody can see her bathing. She’s half-right. Nobody would ever hear her screaming-” Micah was cut off by Charles’ fist colliding with his nose.

He must’ve been knocked out cold for a second, because it took him a few breaths to come to enough to scream out in protest.

“How dare you put your filthy hands on me.” He wiped his mug and spat. “I’ll make you pay for that!”

Micah lunged in Charles' direction. As he prepared himself to counter the tackle, John jumped in and started beating his back like an ape.

“What in the Sam Hill are you doing?!”

Arthur jumped into the mix in an effort to pry John away from him. In the process, Micah grabbed him by the beard and gave it a good yank. Meanwhile, Charles was wiping dirt out of his eyes with one hand and keeping Micah at arms length with the other.

“That is quite enough!” Miss Grimshaw’s voice pierced the low rumble of the men shouting. “Would you boys try and act your age for five minutes?” She growled. The four of them untangled. Some were more sheepish than others.

“Just trying to defend myself.” Micah picked up his hat and dusted the red dirt from the brim.

“Walk away.” Charles growled. “We’re done here.”

“Yes, you are. I have half a mind to turn you over to Dutch.” For a short woman, Miss Grimshaw had the presence of a hungry saber cat. She continued, rattling John for being covered in a fine layer of dirt and grime.

Arthur and Charles took the opportunity to slip away before they too were devoured by the beast.

“Thanks for having my back there.” Charles said with sincerity. “It’s been a long time since I had anyone willing to fight for me.”

“We’re family, Charles.” Arthur dusted his hands on his trousers. He brought a hand up to his face to rub the spot in his beard where Micah had pulled. Once he was sure that none of it had been pulled out, he continued. “We got your back. You and Reina both. Now, we best get to bed before Grimshaw loses her patience.”

“Agreed. Goodnight, Arthur.”

“Goodnight, brother.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it :)


End file.
